What Adderall ACTUALLY Does

Posting this because misinformation about Adderall can make people more likely to misuse it or not take it when they need it ((plus it raises the stigma of ‘tweaky kids’ on Ritalin and Adderall’)).

Disclaimer: Adderall will affect everyone uniquely, though there are predominant effects that can generally be expected. I will be describing my experience, as it seems to be along the lines of the general expectations of what it should do.

Okay, so I took Adderall for almost a year- now I take Vyvanse, which is a long-acting Adderall ((more on that later, folks)). I take it for narcolepsy and ADHD symptoms, as narcolepsy causes excessive daytime sleepiness and I need it to be awake and function like a person.

What the fuck is Adderall? Well, it’s a stimulant drug ((yes, it’s in the same family as meth but no, it’s not like meth)) that increases the productivity of the dopamine ((the hormone that makes you happy and satisfied and is linked to depression and other mental disorders)) and norepinephrine ((the hormone that makes you stressed and is linked to schizo-type disorders)) in order to treat ADHD and narcolepsy ((among other things)).

It starts at 10 mg doses and goes up from there to 70 mg or 80 mg, if I recall. I went up to 60 mg before switching to Vyvanse. Vyvanse is the same drug as Adderall ((dextroamphetamine)), except it’s bonded to an amino acid which causes it to be long-acting. I find this type more effective, as it prevents a huge crash once the drug wears off since it absorbs more slowly. I currently take 60 mg.

What DOES it do?

The Good:

• Improves memory related functions ((which is good as memory loss and issues is common for people with narcolepsy)).
  
• Increases wakefulness ((also critical for narcoleptic people)).
• Improves reaction time.
• Reduces fatigue.
• Increases self-confidence and sociability.

The Bad:

• Loss of appetite.
  
• Very high or very low blood pressure.
• Dry mouth ((not everyone experiences this but I do and it seems like a considerable number of people do)).
• Causes excessive talkativeness ((both myself and my friend who takes it experience this, where we know we’re talking too much but it is uncontrollable)).
• Tics ((repetitive movements)).
• Overall “jittery” feeling.

These aren’t all the effects, but it’s a general picture of what to potentially expect.

What it DOESN’T do:

• It doesn’t make you smarter or learn faster; it helps you concentrate, not become more skilled in academics.
  
• They are dangerous for people who take them that don’t need them. If you take stimulant drugs without have a medical condition to warrant it, it can and will fuck up how your brain communicates with itself. Once the effectiveness wears off, you are prone to mood swings, loss of sleep, increased blood pressure fainting… the list goes on, but taking Adderall without needing can potentially cause a heart attack or stroke.
• It does not act like caffeine does. Some people think this, and it is not at all like caffeine in how it works.
• Just because doctors prescribe it doesn’t mean it’s totally safe. Adderall is a Schedule II drug, which I will explain. Normally, I go to the pharmacy and my doctor has digitally sent in the prescription with refills. Because Adderall is a highly controlled substance, I need to get a paper prescription, and it can only be for a 30-day supply and there are no refills on it so I need to go back and get a paper prescription every time. It’s not safe for people who don’t need it, but people do anyways so it has to be very controlled.
• It doesn’t make you super-mega-hyper. It typically just keeps you awake and helps your concentration, which can actually make you more quiet and still than usual. Some people ((myself include)) experience a jittery feeling and have motor tics, though they’re minor and don’t interfere with my functioning too much.

So now you know the truth about Adderall. I’d appreciate if people spread this to help drown out misinformation. I can only hope this helps people get educated, as it’s a wonderful medicine for people who need it.